Commissioner Štefan Füle signed today a Memorandum of Understanding on the National Indicative Programme for Ukraine

European Commissioner for Enlargement and Neighbourhood policy Stefan Füle signed today a Memorandum of Understanding on the National Indicative Programme for Ukraine for €470 million Euros for the period of 2011-13.

Assistance provided under the ENPI National Indicative Programme for Ukraine should focus on three priority areas: Good Governance and the Rule of Law Facilitation of the entry into force of the EU-Ukraine Association Agreement (including a Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area) and Sustainable Development.

The overall indicative budget for the EU assistance to Ukraine under the ENPI is €470.05 million. This includes the €43.37 million earmarked for the Comprehensive Institution Building Programme (CIB), and €30.79 million for Eastern Partnership pilot regional development programmes.

Commissioner Stefan Füle said"I was very happy to sign the Memorandum of Understanding on the National Indicative Programme for Ukraine with Mr Kluyev today. There has been progress. I took that opportunity to remind Deputy Prime Minister Kluyev that the DCFTA is part of a broader Association Agreement which includes crucial elements on human rights, democracy and fundamental freedoms. It is essential to the success of the Agreement that progress is made by the Ukrainian side in these areas. In this context, I underlined our strong desire to see critical reforms in Ukraine pursued as quickly as possible, especially on the constitutional, judicial and electoral fronts."

Background

The European Neighbourhood and Partnership Instrument (ENPI) is a policy-driven financial instrument which has as its main aim to support the establishment of an area of prosperity and good neighbourliness involving the European Union and neighbouring partner countries. Regulation (EC) No. 1638/2006 lays down the guiding principles for the provision of European Union assistance under the Instrument.

The Partnership and Co-operation Agreement between the Community and its Member States and Ukraine, the EU-Ukraine Association Agenda currently in force, the Eastern Partnership launched in May 2009 and the ongoing negotiations on a new Association Agreement between the EU and Ukraine are the main elements of the Policy Framework which has guided the programming of EU assistance. The Country Strategy Paper 2007-13 and the National Indicative Programme 2011-13 for Ukraine have been designed on the basis of these principles and this policy framework.

The present Memorandum reflects the indicative assistance priorities for the period 2011-13 as outlined in the ENPI National Indicative Programme for Ukraine 2011-2013. The actions financed by the European Union and covered by this Memorandum of Understanding are governed by the Framework Agreement between the European Commission and the Government of Ukraine.